Tebow has tough day in debut; Brewers win twice

Associated Press
Brewers starter Junior Guerra pitches against the Dodgers during the second inning Wednesday.

Tim Tebow made his first rookie mistake even before stepping into the batter’s box.

The New York Mets newcomer walked behind home plate and took his practice swings near Boston’s on-deck circle.

“I didn’t know who that was back there. I thought it was the ball boy,” AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello said.

The former NFL quarterback’s debut as a big leaguer didn’t go much better Wednesday.

Tebow went 0 for 3, twice looking at strike three and also grounding into a double play with the bases loaded in a spring training exhibition against the Red Sox.

The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner did safely reach when he was hit by a pitch in the right shoulder from fellow Florida alum Brian Johnson. But Tebow’s stay on base was brief — he got doubled off first on a line drive.

“It was a first day for me getting to compete. I’ll learn a lot from it. It’s kind of what I expected from a competition level,” Tebow said after an 8-7 win.

The 29-year-old Tebow batted eighth as the designated hitter. Signed last fall, he’s in camp on a minor league contract, hoping to make it as an outfielder. He’s next scheduled to play for the Mets in a split-squad game Friday against Houston, and manager Terry Collins said Tebow would be in the field.

“With almost anything I do, I get a little nervous because I care about it, the outcome and my teammates,” Tebow said. “But I’d also get nervous if I was going to talk to a high school football team before a game.”

Tebow was set to lead off the third inning for his first at-bat. The lefty hitter emerged from the Mets’ third base dugout and crossed over to the Boston side, drifting toward the Red Sox on-deck circle and inching his way into Porcello’s view.

“I thought you walked around because you’re a left-hander. I found out you don’t do that,” Tebow said.

Porcello threw a fastball past Tebow, then got him to look at strike three. Tebow had a smile and friendly word for plate umpire Ryan Additon after getting called out.

Porcello was struck on the pitching hand by Yoenis Cespedes’ grounder in the fourth. The righty stayed in, but exited after Jay Bruce and Lucas Duda doubled.

“It’s fine right now,” Porcello said. “It happens quickly, so you’re just trying to get the sting out of it. I was able to throw a couple of pitches, and the second warmup pitch I was able to get down in the zone, and didn’t think it would affect me making pitches.”

Top prospect Josh Hader got the start for Milwaukee and struck out three in two innings of work. Hader allowed four hits and one run. De Jesus Jr’s home run was a two-run shot in the ninth to allow the Brewers to come back for the victory.

• CARDINALS 9, NATIONALS 3: Stephen Strasburg was hit hard in his second start, giving up six runs and seven hits in two innings. Jhonny Peralta hit an RBI groundout in the first, and Matt Adams, Patrick Wisdom and Harrison Bader followed with run-scoring singles. Aledmys Diaz had an RBI double in the second and scored on Adams’ sacrifice fly. The Cardinals’ Michael Wacha allowed two hits in three scoreless innings.

• ASTROS 12, METS (ss) 2: Houston said 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel pitched a simulated game Tuesday with no issues and he is to make his exhibition debut Sunday against Miami. The left-hander did not appear in a game after Aug. 27 last year because of pitching shoulder inflammation. Against New York, starter Charlie Morton struck out four in three hitless innings. Mets starter Robert Gsellman allowed two runs and five hits in five innings, and Asdrubal Cabrera homered off Tony Sipp.

• YANKEES 10, CANADA 4: Former AL MVP Justin Morneau had a single and struck out twice for Canada, and Seattle’s Tyler O’Neill hit a two-run homer. Matt Holliday hit a two-run homer and Gary Sanchez had a solo drive for the Yankees.

• BRAVES 3, PHILLIES 2: Bartolo Colon allowed one run and one hit in three innings, striking out three, and Nick Markakis hit a two-run double.

Jeremy Hellickson gave up two runs and five hits in four innings, leaving him with a 5.00 ERA.

• ORIOLES 6, BLUE JAYS 4: Craig Gentry, battling for a roster spot, hit a three-run homer as part of a two-hit day. Mat Latos, trying to earn a job with Toronto, allowing five runs, five hits and three walks in two innings.

• A’S 7, ITALY 0: A’s starter Kendall Graveman struck out three in three shutout innings. Jesse Hahn worked three innings of two-hit relief and Frankie Montas went the final two innings of the five-hit shutout. Third baseman Ryon Healy, getting a start at first, homered.

Orlando Oberto started for Italy and worked two innings and gave up a run on two hits.

Amir Garrett gave up five runs, none of them earned, on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings.

• VENEZUELA 11, ROYALS 0: Miguel Cabrera hit a solo homer and a two-run single, Alcides Escobar tripled twice and drove in three runs against his big league team and Kansas City teammate Salvador Perez had two hits for Venezuela.

Mike Morse hit a two-run homer for San Francisco, and Jeff Samardzija allowed one run through 3 2/3 innings. Chris Marrero, a former first-round pick of Washington in 2006, hit a game-ending, two-run homer.

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